Thoughts on a 20 foot Wakesetter VTX?

[shiftman]

I have located a very nice 2008 20 foot VTX and I was wondering what the consensus might be on this size of Wakesetter. I have a couple of Supra owning friends who have advised against purchasing a wakeboard boat of this size and suggested a minimum of 22 feet in length. The boat is in excellent shape (about 700 hours) and with what the owner refers to as a "Cut Diamond Hull". The price has been lowered to under 30K and is well below Nada. The boat will likely only have 2-4 people in on most outings and will be used as an entry level wakeboard/surf boat and part time "water taxi". Having said all of that, any thoughts about the boat would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[asnowman]

The cut diamond hull is great, it is made to really help the waterski wake. It puts out a nice wakeboard wake, and you can get a very respectable surf wave out of it, but you need to push its limits for best surf wave. We recently traded out of our vtx in favor of a larger wake boat, as our focus had shifted to surfing. I do miss certain things about the vtx, especially the ease of trailering and storing it.  With 2-4 people on it most of the time it would be comfortable. 

Personally, if your primary focus will be to surf, i would look for a bigger boat. Not in any way to say this boat can't do it. We ran ours with as much as 11 people on board for boarding and surfing sessions, or as few as 4.

[Nitrousbird]

There are two reason to get a VTX:

- Lake Length limits or storage length limits

- You want a Vdrive that can ski very well for a Vdrive (especially with the diamond hull) while still making a nice surf and wakeboard wake

If you don't care about skiing and length isn't an issue - pass for something a bit bigger.  I also question a VTX for under 30k...that is a very low price for that boat; send me the link if you aren't interested...

[SouthsideBoarder]

We owned a 2008 VTX prior to our 23 LSV. 

Love the boat. If you plan to ski at a higher speed with a small crew great. If you plan to mostly surf look larger. I miss the ski wake of the VTX but we surf so much more so there’s no replacement for displacement. The extra freeboard is nice too in rougher water. 

[2020LSV23]

7 hours ago, shiftman said:

I have located a very nice 2008 20 foot VTX and I was wondering what the consensus might be on this size of Wakesetter. I have a couple of Supra owning friends who have advised against purchasing a wakeboard boat of this size and suggested a minimum of 22 feet in length. The boat is in excellent shape (about 700 hours) and with what the owner refers to as a "Cut Diamond Hull". The price has been lowered to under 30K and is well below Nada. The boat will likely only have 2-4 people in on most outings and will be used as an entry level wakeboard/surf boat and part time "water taxi". Having said all of that, any thoughts about the boat would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

We had a 2009 VTX last year and sold it as we wanted to surf and the wave produced was not adequate for me. I am a larger man around 230 pounds and even with adding more weight the wave just could not support me, not enough push. The new VTXs seem to be a lot better likely due to more freeboard allowing more weight to be added and surf gate etc. If your goal is predominately surfing I would get a larger boat for that year or newer VTX.

[Nitrousbird]

7 hours ago, 2020LSV23 said:

We had a 2009 VTX last year and sold it as we wanted to surf and the wave produced was not adequate for me. I am a larger man around 230 pounds and even with adding more weight the wave just could not support me, not enough push

Then you had your boat setup wrong.  When I first started surfing behind our boat, I was 225lbs (20lbs less now).  Smaller hull than the VTX and at the time I was running a good 1200-1500lbs less ballast than I am now (I was listed, no lead and smaller locker bags) yet could still surf it.  I have a buddy surfing @ 350lbs behind my boat and likes the wave, plenty of push.  I guarantee I can get a better wave out of a VTX than my hull.

[2020LSV23]

23 minutes ago, Nitrousbird said:

Then you had your boat setup wrong.  When I first started surfing behind our boat, I was 225lbs (20lbs less now).  Smaller hull than the VTX and at the time I was running a good 1200-1500lbs less ballast than I am now (I was listed, no lead and smaller locker bags) yet could still surf it.  I have a buddy surfing @ 350lbs behind my boat and likes the wave, plenty of push.  I guarantee I can get a better wave out of a VTX than my hull.

Your saying an older 20 foot VTX from the 2000s can create a surf wave for a 350 pound man with “plenty of push”?

[Nitrousbird]

3 minutes ago, 2020LSV23 said:

Your saying an older 20 foot VTX from the 2000s can create a surf wave for a 350 pound man with “plenty of push”?

Yes.  I'm sure I can dig up videos to prove it.  I haven't had him behind a VTX, but behind my 93" beam, smaller freeboard VLX, so yeah - I'm sure it can be done behind a VTX.

[2020LSV23]

2 minutes ago, Nitrousbird said:

Yes.  I'm sure I can dig up videos to prove it.  I haven't had him behind a VTX, but behind my 93" beam, smaller freeboard VLX, so yeah - I'm sure it can be done behind a VTX

I had no idea those size boats could accommodate men over 300 pounds to be surfing no problem. I guess I should have kept my 09 VTX and not spent $180K on a new LSV lol

[Nitrousbird]

21 minutes ago, 2020LSV23 said:

I had no idea those size boats could accommodate men over 300 pounds to be surfing no problem. I guess I should have kept my 09 VTX and not spent $180K on a new LSV lol

They can.  I'm sure your '20 makes a nicer wave but not for a 130k price difference wave...

[Eagleboy99]

130K USD is a lot of ocean surfing. 

[2020LSV23]

38 minutes ago, Eagleboy99 said:

130K USD is a lot of ocean surfing. 

I honestly don’t like salt water on my skin. Call it sensitive but ever since a child I only enjoy fresh water activities 

[Eagleboy99]

12 minutes ago, 2020LSV23 said:

I honestly don’t like salt water on my skin. Call it sensitive but ever since a child I only enjoy fresh water activities 

For a guy who lives on an island surrounded by saltwater... 

[2020LSV23]

14 minutes ago, Eagleboy99 said:

For a guy who lives on an island surrounded by saltwater... 

I know haha that’s why I spend as much leisure time at the lake or rivers as a kid! As you know the island has some incredible fresh water spots I’d argue some of the best in the world

[shiftman]

Is a cut diamond hull any different than a regular diamond hull? Until I ran across this add, I had never seen the word "cut" used before. My main concern with the boats length is how rough it may ride.

[Eagleboy99]

2 hours ago, shiftman said:

Is a cut diamond hull any different than a regular diamond hull? Until I ran across this add, I had never seen the word "cut" used before. My main concern with the boats length is how rough it may ride.

BTW, the Aussies advertize a T-Cut Diamond hull:  whatever that is.

[shiftman]

At this point, the length is my biggest concern. Is the ride difference between a 20 and 21 footer that noticeable?